Everyday Nourishing Foods

  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Lunch ideas
  • Dinner ideas
  • About
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • What to Cook Today?
  • Food Tips
  • About
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipe Index
    • What to Cook Today?
    • Food Tips
    • About
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Black Bean Recipes

    Creamy Indian Black Beans Curry with Coconut Milk

    Modified: Jun 3, 2025 Published: May 29, 2022 by Sravanthi Chanda. 5 Comments

    1775 shares
    • Facebook49
    • Reddit
    • WhatsApp
    5 from 3 votes
    Detailed Steps Jump to Recipe

    Craving a hearty and creamy curry for dinner? Make this Black Bean Curry by simmering black beans in an Indian spiced coconut milk sauce, creating a rich and satisfying dish.

    Enjoy this Indian black beans recipe with any flatbread or rice side dish for a hearty dinner or lunch.

    curried black beans with rice in a plate

    This black bean curry is rich, creamy, and packed with flavor. Slow-cooked black beans absorb the warm spices, while coconut milk adds a luscious texture that balances the heat.

    If you love creamy curries, try my lentil spinach curry, Instant Pot chickpea curry, and coconut chickpea curry - each one is hearty, flavorful, and easy to make at home.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • How to cook black beans using an Instant pot
    • Detailed Steps
    • Recipe Notes and Variations
    • Serving suggestions
    • Storage
    • Recipe

    Ingredients

    Black beans: I cooked black beans from scratch and used them in this curry. You can use canned black beans also. If using canned black beans, drain and rinse them to remove the excess salt.

    Coconut milk: I used homemade coconut milk to make this vegan black bean curry. You can use store-bought coconut milk as well.

    Tomato: Tomato is optional, and you can skip them if you don't have some in handy. I used fresh tomatoes, but canned tomatoes or store-bought tomato puree also works here.

    Spices: This curry will be mildly spiced, and you can use freshly ground black pepper and red chili flakes or increase the red chili powder to make it spicier. And I used garam masala powder, and you can skip it or use curry powder instead.

    curried black beans in a bowl

    How to cook black beans using an Instant pot

    • Soak the black beans for 6 to 8 hours. Soaking is optional, and you can cook dried beans also using an Instant pot.
    • Wash the soaked or dried black beans a couple of times and add them to the Instant pot inner pot.
    • Then add water and salt. Close the Instant pot with its lid. Seal the pressure valve. Use 2 cups of water for soaked black beans and 3 cups for dried black beans.
    • Select manual or pressure cook mode and cook it for 9 minutes on high pressure for soaked black beans. If you have aged beans, cook them for 12 to 14 minutes.
    • Cook it for 30 minutes on high pressure for dried black beans. If you have aged beans, cook them for 35 to 40 minutes.
    • Once the Instant pot finishes cooking, wait for 10 minutes and manually release the pressure.
    • Strain the beans and keep them aside. You can use the residual water for cooking the curry.

    Detailed Steps

    • Heat a deep-bottomed pan or skillet. Once it is hot, add oil, bay leaves, grated ginger, grated garlic, and finely chopped onions. Saute the onions for a couple of minutes.
    • To this onion mixture, add finely chopped bell pepper. I used green bell pepper, but you can use any colored pepper. Let the bell peppers cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
    • Now add finely chopped tomatoes and let them cook for 4 to 5 minutes. I used fresh tomatoes here. You can use canned tomato puree or canned tomatoes as well. 
    • Once tomatoes soften, add spice powders - turmeric powder, red chili powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, garam masala powder, and salt. Mix everything well.
    • Now add black beans and give a good mix. I used home-cooked black beans. If using canned beans, drain and rinse them well to remove excess salt.
    • Add coconut milk and simmer the curry for 5 minutes over medium heat. You can add more water or coconut milk to thin out the curry as per your desired consistency.
    • Switch off the flame, and the creamy, delicious black bean curry is ready to serve. A dash of lemon juice and a handful of cilantro leaves just before serving the curry will enhance the curry taste.

    Recipe Notes and Variations

    • Garam masala powder is optional. You can skip it or instead use curry powder.
    • This vegan black bean curry is mildly spiced. You can use an additional half teaspoon red chili powder, freshly ground black pepper, or red chili flakes to make the curry spicy.
    • You can add more veggies like carrots, beetroot, cauliflower, broccoli, potato, sweet potato, pumpkin, zucchini, or squash. Simmer the curry till the veggies are cooked thoroughly.
    • Depending on the availability, I like to add fresh leafy greens like spinach, kale, collard greens, bok choy, or swiss chard to this curry. Add them at the end and simmer them for 3 to 4 minutes.
    • Instead of coconut milk, you can use other plant-based milk like soy milk, almond milk, or cashew milk to make this curried black beans. You can even use vegetable stock to add more flavor to the curry.
    • I used fresh tomatoes to make this vegan black bean curry. Tomato puree or canned tomatoes also work for this recipe.
    curried black beans with rice in a plate
    • Fresh herbs like mint, cilantro, parsley, and basil will enhance the flavor and taste of the curry. Finely chop the herbs and add them to the curry once you take it out of the heat.
    • If you do not have black beans or don't like them, you can make this delicious curry with other beans like kidney beans, pinto beans, black-eyed peas, or even chickpeas.

    Serving suggestions

    Rice and this curried black beans are a perfect match. But you can serve this along with millet, quinoa, or naan bread.

    You can use this leftover curry as a sandwich topping, tortilla filling, or even make quesadillas.

    curried black beans with rice in a plate

    Storage

    As we are using coconut milk, store this curry in the refrigerator. You can keep this curry at room temperature for 6 to 8 hours.

    You can refrigerate it for 2 to 3 days and freeze it for three months.

    I prefer freezing the cooked black beans and making the curry when needed.

    vegan black beans curry in a bowl

    You will like my other curry recipes on the blog as you are here.

    Chickpea and vegetable curry - easy and quick chickpea curry with seasonal veggies and coconut milk.

    Indian black-eyed peas curry - Indian spiced black-eyed peas curry with staple ingredients.

    Lentil spinach curry - Creamy and delicious lentil curry with the goodness of coconut milk and spinach.

    Indian chickpea curry - Indian restaurant-style chana masala curry.

    Kidney beans curry - easy bean curry with seasonal veggies.

    Have you tried this recipe? Provide your feedback by giving a star rating and/or leaving comments. And don't forget to share the recipe with others on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter.

    Recipe

    black bean curry with rice in a plate

    Black beans curry (Creamy curried black beans)

    By: Sravanthi Chanda
    Make this delicious and creamy black beans curry in under 30 minutes and enjoy your home-cooked lunch or dinner even if you are out of time. This curried black beans recipe is vegan, gluten-free, and protein-rich.

    Rate this recipe by clicking the stars!

    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Global
    Servings 4
    Calories 410 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 Instant Pot
    • Skillet
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients
      

    • 3 cups cooked black beans 1 cup dried beans
    • 1.5 cups coconut milk
    • 1 cup tomatoes chopped
    • ½ cup onions chopped
    • 1 bell pepper I used green, any color pepper works
    • 1.5 tablespoon oil

    Spices

    • 2 bay leaves
    • ½ teaspoon ginger grated
    • ½ teaspoon garlic grated
    • ½ teaspoon red chili powder
    • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
    • ½ tsp ground coriander
    • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
    • ½ teaspoon garam masala powder optional
    • 1 teaspoon Salt adjust according to your taste

    Instructions
     

    Cooking dried black beans using an Instant pot

    • Soak the black beans for 6 to 8 hours. Soaking is optional, and you can cook dried beans also using an Instant pot.
    • Wash the soaked or dried black beans a couple of times and add them to the Instant pot inner pot.
    • Then add water and salt. Close the Instant pot with its lid. Seal the pressure valve. Use 2 cups of water for soaked black beans and 3 cups for dried black beans.
    • Select manual or pressure cook mode and cook it for 9 minutes on high pressure for soaked black beans. If you have aged beans, cook them for 12 to 14 minutes.
    • Cook it for 30 minutes on high pressure for dried black beans. If you have aged beans, cook them for 35 to 40 minutes.
    • Once the Instant pot finishes cooking, wait for 10 minutes and manually release the pressure.
    • Strain the beans and keep them aside. You can use the residual water for cooking the curry.

    Making black bean curry

    • Heat a deep-bottomed pan or skillet. Once it is hot, add oil, bay leaves, grated ginger, grated garlic, and finely chopped onions. Saute the onions for a couple of minutes.
    • To this onion mixture, add finely chopped bell pepper. I used green bell pepper, but you can use any colored pepper. Let the bell peppers cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
    • Now add finely chopped tomatoes and let them cook for 4 to 5 minutes. I used fresh tomatoes here. You can use canned tomato puree or canned tomatoes as well. 
    • Once tomatoes soften, add spice powders - turmeric powder, red chili powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, garam masala powder, and salt. Mix everything well.
    • Now add black beans and give a good mix. I used home-cooked black beans. If using canned beans, drain and rinse them well to remove excess salt.
    • Add coconut milk and simmer the curry for 5 minutes over medium heat. You can add more water or coconut milk to thin out the curry as per your desired consistency.
    • Switch off the flame, and the creamy, delicious black bean curry is ready to serve. A dash of lemon juice and a handful of cilantro leaves just before serving the curry will enhance the curry taste.

    Notes

    Nutrition values are my rough estimates. Please feel free to use your calculator if you rely on them for your diet.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 410kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 14gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 602mgPotassium: 843mgFiber: 13gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1330IUVitamin C: 46mgCalcium: 67mgIron: 6mg
    Pin Recipe Share on Facebook
    Enjoyed this recipe?Drop a comment below and let us know your thoughts!

    More Black Bean Recipes

    • A bowl of mixed vegetable black beans basmati rice garnished with fresh cilantro, placed on a black and white checkered cloth with a spoon and fork beside it.
      Black Beans and Basmati Rice Pilaf Recipe
    • A bowl of cooked black beans garnished with a fresh basil leaf, placed on a light-colored cloth background.
      Instant Pot Black Beans (Soaked and dried)
    • black bean and chickpea salad in a bowl
      Black bean chickpea salad
    1775 shares
    • Facebook49
    • Reddit
    • WhatsApp

    Comments

    1. Pamela Vangiessen says

      March 13, 2025 at 3:04 am

      5 stars
      Hands down the best black bean curry ever!

      Reply
      • Sravanthi Chanda says

        March 15, 2025 at 9:36 pm

        Hi Pamela, Thank you so much for sharing the feedback. Im so glad that you liked my recipe 🙂

        Reply
    2. Carla H says

      July 18, 2022 at 12:55 am

      Would love to try this but am confused by steps 4 & 5. Is one for instant pot and one for stovetop?

      Reply
      • Sravanthi says

        July 20, 2022 at 6:38 pm

        No, both are for Instant pot only. If you are using dried beans, we need to cook them for 30 minutes(step 5). If you soak the black beans, we need to cook them only for 12 minutes. And if you are using canned beans, you can skip this section and go to the next section (Making black bean curry).

        Reply
      • Pam V says

        March 13, 2025 at 3:06 am

        Hi Carla: I used the stove stop method only. Works just fine. Pam

        Reply
    5 from 3 votes (2 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Sravanthi Chanda standing in a rose garden, wearing a light green embroidered sweater and patterned black kurta, smiling softly with trees and flowers in the background.

    I'm Sravanthi Chanda and I share Indian lunch and dinner recipes on my blog. These easy-to-follow recipes are made from scratch using fresh ingredients and come with step-by-step photos, perfect for family meals.

    More about me →

    Share your Feedback

    Have suggestions or feedback? I’d love to hear from you below! Take this quick 2-minute survey to help shape future content.

    Take the Survey

    Latest Recipes

    • Collage showing Indian-style chickpeas, rajma, and lentils cooked in the Instant Pot with centered text overlay for beans and legumes cooking guide.
      Instant Pot Beans and Legumes – Indian Cooking Guide + Recipes
    • Bowl of Indian-style spicy guacamole topped with green chili slices and herbs.
      Spicy Guacamole with an Indian Twist
    • Close-up of steamed green beans and sliced carrots atop saag on a stainless steel plate, next to quinoa, with 'Everyday Nourishing Foods' watermark.
      Instant Pot Steamed Veggies (No Steamer Basket Needed!)
    • Bowl of dry-style Indian zucchini curry garnished with cilantro, served on a black and white checkered cloth.
      Quick Indian Zucchini Curry Recipe – Ready in 20 Minutes!
    • A collage of Indian summer recipes including cucumber peanut salad, chickpea salad, bell pepper spinach curry, and black beans rice, with a central text overlay reading "Indian Summer Recipes."
      27 Light and Easy Indian Dinner Recipes Perfect for Summer
    • Collage of cooked black beans, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, and millets in an Instant Pot with text overlay: Instant Pot Basics & How-Tos for Indian Cooking.
      Instant Pot Basics & How-Tos for Indian Cooking

    Popular Recipes

    • Perfectly cooked basmati rice garnished with cardamom and whole spices.
      Restaurant Style Indian Rice Recipe
    • A stack of crispy red lentil wraps topped with a fresh cilantro leaf, served on a white plate over a colorful checkered napkin.
      Easy Red Lentil Wraps Recipe (Vegan High Protein Tortillas)
    • Top view of a bowl filled with shiny, cooked kidney beans on a marble surface with the logo 'everydaynourishingfoods' visible.
      Instant Pot Red Kidney Beans (Soaked & Dried)
    • Bowl of chana saag featuring chickpeas in a thick spinach sauce, on a colorful checkered cloth, with 'Everyday Nourishing Foods' watermark.
      Chana Saag (Indian Chickpea and Spinach Curry)
    • Kidney beans soup in a white bowl with rich broth and hearty vegetables.
      Red Kidney Beans Soup (Easy & Vegan Recipe)
    • A bowl of vibrant green Indian spinach saag on a colorful checkered napkin.
      Easy Indian Saag Recipe (Quick Spinach Curry)
    • How to cook basmati rice in a rice cooker
    • A bowl of cooked black beans garnished with a fresh basil leaf, placed on a light-colored cloth background.
      Instant Pot Black Beans (Soaked and dried)

    Footer

    ↑ Back to Top
    • About Me
    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility
    • Contact
    • Quick Feedback?

    Copyright © Everyday Nourishing Foods 2025

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.